Oct 3, 2015
"Does losing prove that you are weak? Isn't losing difficult for all of you? A challenge where, after ending up on your hands and knees, you must see if you can stand up again? If you stay on your hands and knees, that proves that you are weak." - Ittetsu Takeda
Being an avid volleyball fan and player, the sports anime genre became something that I felt comfortable with and can relate to. I quickly became a fan and especially NEVER looked down the sports anime genre. When coming across Haikyuu!!, I was totally pumped for obvious reasons as nostalgia flooded in my mind. As soon
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as I started watching, I couldn’t stop. By the time the first season was over, it couldn’t quite quench my thirst for more. However, this doesn’t mean it's my all-time favorite anime because it involves my favorite sport and it does have some flaws. But nonetheless, it was one of the top animes of the fall of 2014 and it remains in my heart as one of my favorites.
Now that is all kept in mind, shall we start?
The story follows 2 main characters named Hinata Shoyo and Kageyama Tobio. Like every other sports anime I have watched (Kuroko no Basket, Slam Dunk, Diamond no Ace) with the 2 main characters, there is a duo of 1st Years that are or will be valuable assets to the team. After playing a match against each other, they have no choice but to work together and set aside differences because they have become players of Karasuno. Like every other sports series, the team’s dream is to win it all the way to nationals through an elimination tournament.
Delving deeper, it is more than just your typical shounen anime. It is certainly not complex, but good enough to be “wowed”. It is not a story where when some monster 1st Years come and then *BOOM!* it's automatically an overpowered team. It is not anything like that. In the beginning, the team starts out disjointed. Any team alone cannot drastically become really good overnight. Even the talented duo of Tobio and Shoyo, they still have ways to go to grow and learn due to their inexperience. The team is more important than talent of the players. Thus, winning does not come easy, making outcomes unpredictable at times. When it comes to matches, the whole episode is often not on Karasuno’s point of view, but rather the other teams they face. That is what makes the matches special; it gives the perspective of the other teams and its players. It feels as if they are the main characters of the show for just that episode.
However, it has the “deficit syndrome” as I would like to call it. Like some other sports animes, the protagonist’s team ends up beating the other team by a few or one points from either team is down with a few point deficit. It is ridiculous and cliché. Some people don’t really mind that because it adds suspense and unpredictability, but I personally despise it. The story is not exclusively about battling matches, it also includes backstory and flashbacks to explain about the past connecting to the present.
The series is well paced and contains no fillers whatsoever. It doesn’t stall and gets right to the point to keep the juices flowin’. Oh, by the way, there is minimal fan-service. Don’t worry; there are enough awesome jammed-packed and funny moments that keep you at the edge of your seat! Speaking of funny moments, its comedy is gold. It is similar to Slam Dunk’s type of humor on the court and off the court, but more playful. Some parts were so irresistible that I had to rewind the play button and still laughed like a hyena, tearing up often. The scenes will switch the tone to serious, light-hearted, and awesomely epic when it is appropriate. Drama is apparent good as well, giving a good balance to the action.
The action is where the show shines. It’s the action that makes you stay past 12 midnight; the show is so immersive that hours will turn into minutes. Soon enough it's already 3 AM, but you're still going. The games get very intense often and get anybody’s hearts pumpin’. It can even tempt you to imitate volleyball plays. During games, the variety of creative plays is astounding. None of the plays were ever linear or one-dimensional. Some of the action is exaggerated, not abused like KnB, but still executes well with jaw-dropping plays without making the players look like gods. It shows you it is not all about scoring and smacking the ball, there is also a mental game and strategy involving different angles of the match. It is amazing of how the show displays many ways to outsmart/outplay your opponent just to score a point. Overall, the show does have solid authentic volleyball content. Beyond all these things, the show takes themes seriously. It tackles themes not just in volleyball, but off the court as well. It will teach the importance of trust on and off the court and losing isn’t necessary bad. There are many others, but I’ll let you discover it yourself!
Oh, if you're new to volleyball you don’t have to worry! Whether or not you play or have experience, anybody will enjoy this series. I recommended my friend, who has no prior knowledge/experience about volleyball, completely loved the show. He even tried the sport itself. Throughout the series, mostly in the beginning, it will teach you the fundamental basics/ideas of volleyball. However, some ideas and preferences are slightly varied compared to other countries that “serve” volleyball, but nothing major. Haha, get it? Never mind let’s move on...
At the surface, the show contains generic main characters. I was not surprised when they were first introduced during the first 2 episodes. You will get the idea if you at least watched Slam Dunk or DnA. But once you get to know them, they are not just a hollow shell. They both have enriched personalities and completely define their own as characters. This doesn’t go also apply to Karasuno’s players, but other team’s players as well. Some players do have similar qualities, but there is a fine line between their styles. There is a ton of character development throughout the series; you especially see that within Karasuno’s team. Not a lot of the characters are static and they go through challenges or walls that change them. The cast is huge; the different variety of characters is enough to pick out a likeable character. Even though Shoyo and Tobio are the main characters, they aren’t always handed the spotlight. The show doesn’t abuse their main character status and lets other players to have an opportunity to shine. Sometimes they become supporting characters at moments and works most of the time.
I’m only familiar with Production I.G.’s KnB and it is what I expected to be. It is not a masterpiece, but it good enough to execute great action and emotion in the characters. I personally like the art style with its bright colorful palette, matching it to the show’s sense of humor. When things get scary or creepy, the transition to from colorful to dreary colors is excellent. The background is consistently detailed and rarely an eyesore. The volleyball itself and the net is sometimes 3-D animated, showing some production value. When it comes to matches, the flow of the body language and movement of the players is superb. Also, what is rare in anime is that the show has the lack of unrealistic hair colors (Red, Green, Blue, etc.). I personally like it that way, but it is all about preference. However, from there, there are flaws. Some of the characters look similar and many action scenes were repeated with the overlay of different teams. But all of these are minor and can be overlooked when things get caught up in the moment.
The OST soundtrack is not exactly memorable as I hoped it would be, especially during matches when it needed. However, I both found the openings and endings catchy, hopefully you will too. The voice acting is solid; some include award-winning voice actors such as Kaji Yuki, Okamoto Nobuhiko, and Kamiya Hiroshi. The sounds on the volleyball court are impressive. From volleyball shoes squeaking on the court to the crack of a volleyball spike, it sounds perfect.
Story 8/10
Characters 10/10
Art 9.5/10
Sound/Voice Acting 8.5/10
Enjoyment 10/10
Whether or not you’re new to the sports genre or volleyball, Haikyuu!! is still worth watching. If you’re new, this is the perfect gateway anime for sports. This is one of few rare gems of the sports anime genre, you won’t find many with an excellent balance combination of action and comedy. With season 2 coming around the corner today (WHAT?!), what are you waiting for?
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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